Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Glossybox has just arrived here in the States, and I had a chance to test out their very first US sample box. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Glossybox, allow me to briefly explain the concept behind it: Glossybox is a subscription-based luxury beauty sample service. Each month, Glossybox puts together a set of five deluxe or travel-sized beauty samples and delivers it to your door. I was quite surprised at what my Glossybox contained- have a look below to see what was inside!

The first thing I noticed about the Glossybox was the packaging. Everything was color-coordinated and carefully wrapped. Even the shipping box was decorated. The pink Glossybox box is very sturdy and can definitely be re-purposed. I know that it's just paper and cardboard, but the attention to detail in the packaging made it feel really special.

Glossybox USA April 2012 Box

The Glossybox will contain a different set of products each month, but the April box contained these items:

Basq Cucumber Tea Eye Gel (full size) - A cooling, hydrating eye gel. I found it to be a bit sticky, and the menthol in it made my eyes water and burn a bit (I was not expecting an eye cream to contain menthol!), but when stored in the fridge and applied lightly, it is rather refreshing.

CARGO EyeBronzer (full size) - This is an orange-bronze metallic powder eyeshadow with a sponge applicator. I didn't think CARGO made this anymore. This one I already have; I bought it on clearance when Sephora was clearing out CARGO a few years back. I can't find this item on CARGO's website, so I'm fairly sure it is actually discontinued.

Kryolan High Gloss Brilliant Lip Shine in Toffee (full size) - Has a great creamy formula and a nice, soft brush applicator. Unfortunately, I can't wear the color at all. It's the type of color that makes me look like I erased my lips with foundation. I like the formula enough that it's made me want to try other shades of Kryolan Lip Shine.

Nearly everything in it was full sized. I was not expecting that, but it was a really nice surprise!

A good variety of items included in this box. Color cosmetics, skincare, haircare and nail polish.

Gorgeous packaging. Re-useable pink box.

The service is inexpensive and the value of the products included (in this box) far outweighed the cost of the box.

A one-month subscription is only $21. Six months is $150 and a full year is $220.

What I didn't like:

The subscription/purchase page on the Glossybox website only seems to be accessible when there's a new box available, making it hard to sign up in between boxes. You must subscribe to the newsletter to know when the next box is available.

I already owned some of the items in here. This is bound to happen at least once, especially if you're really into beauty products. Not really an issue, but something to consider if you have a sizable makeup stash.

I'm not certain if the box is customizable at all. The website mentions the ability to fill out an online profile and create a "bespoke beauty profile to start receiving your personalized beauty samples." I didn't see this option for the first box, but it may become available during the next box.

If you wish to cancel your subscription, you must do so at least 14 days before the next box is due to ship. If your account is terminated by Beauty Trend for any reason, they will not refund any remaining/unused time on your subscription. Full details are available on Glossybox's Terms and Conditions page.

The box reviewed here was a "promotional" box and may not accurately represent the contents of future boxes.

I think this is an awesome idea and I'll definitely be subscribing when the next box becomes available. Based on the products included in this Glossybox, I think it's worth the $21 a month. The retail value of everything in this month's box combined was $85, though there's no way to know if each subsequent box will have the same value. I'm looking forward to the next one. Can't wait to see what's going to be in it!

EDIT: After a short conversation with a Glossybox representative, I've been able to verify that the featured Glossybox (April) was a one-off "promotional" box. The representative was disappointingly evasive when I asked about future Glossyboxes containing any full-sized items, so I'm not sure if the next Glossybox will be of similar value to this one. I guess I'll have to wait and see when the next box goes on sale.

The next Glossybox should be available soon, but for now you can view the details of this month's box (no longer available to purchase) or find out more about how Glossybox works here.

at the first months the gb in germany was great, sometimes the products are great but the boxes were filled completly different with extreme different worth and the beautyprofil was never considered. what i hated most were the comstumerservice. they think we are all little stupid kids or something, i don't know. i quit gb.

What? Really? That's crappy. I'm disappointed that they would make the first box special to get you subscribe, but then the rest of the boxes won't be as nice. I'm going to email the Glossybox rep myself just so I can verify directly (but I trust your word), and then I'll update my review.

Please do e-mail her. I would like to see if her story is consistent. She said 1 full sized item and the rest travel sizes, but at east no foil packets. I wrote about it on my blog and had to update my post as well when I found out.

So, I exchanged emails with the representative and she would not say. She wouldn't confirm or deny the inclusion of full-sized items in future boxes and only repeated what's listed here http://www.glossybox.com/index.php/how-it-works/ about the five samples. So... hm. Not sure what to think, I still like the idea of five deluxe samples per month for $21, but the introductory box is kinda misleading.

Unfortunately, the word "deluxe" and "high end" is misleading also. I cancelled my German glossybox subscription after getting 2 boxes with mostly drugstore or non-profile-conform stuff.

how does this compare to yours, for example?https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=238518472909265

As a side note: in Germany also, some bloggers still receive free boxes. It's meanwhile very obvious that their boxes are extremely carefully packed - for promotional purposes! One blogger compared a free box with a purchased box, huge discrepancies in value etc. After that post, her next shipments of 2 boxes (normally independent, as not everybody gets the same stuff) interestingly were extremely similar to each other. I do not like this kind of company poolicy.

You did quite well with this box hun. I was getting Luxebox & Glymm box but cancelled because every month there seemed to be a problem..like the tracking number said it was in my city yet 2 wks later it still wasnt delivered/at post office:) xx

I don't know about anywhere else in the world but I got 3 Glossybox so far (in Canada) and 2 full size in the second box, 3 full size in the third box. You just never know, I was very happy with my first box even without full size products. I think people expect too much because they gave full size once, they think they will always get full size stuff! We still get much more than what we paid for, and they do say 4-5 deluxe samples. What I don't like is when they give us really small samples, now that's not what I would call deluxe samples. Just my 2 cents! :)

In Sweden Glossy box is the first subscription service and is quite popular. We get 1-2 full size product, last month it was 4 fullsize because of the Swedish Beauty Awards. I don't understandwhy US needs one more service, you have birthbox and couple more

I too subscribe to Luxe and Glymm in Canada. They do the same thing. Awesome first box, then a lot of crap. I received Pantene and Burt's Bees samples last month >.< These are things I can get for free in the drug store. I have a friend who used to get Glossy. Prepare for the quality of the boxes to dwindle. Unless U.S subscibers have access to more/different products for whatever reason. I'm giving each Glymm and Luxe one more month before I decide to cancel. Might try Topbox next : /

I get Birchbox and My Glam Bag each month. I like them because it's only $10, although some of the products I don't even try like the perfumes (I'm picky) but the cremes and nail polishes I love! Small samples, but it's cheap so I don't expect much more. I want to try this, but don't know after hearing all this.

I subscribe to Birchbox and I've been pretty happy with it. Full size products are rarer for me (things like a Tarte lipsurgence or Stila eyeliner) but the price is much more reasonable at $10 in my opinion. It's a nice monthly surprise.

I heard that April's Glossybox is the only one that will contain all full-sized products..so other months are probably all deluxe sample sized or one full size and the rest deluxe sample, which doesn't really seem appealing for $21.

Glossybox is available in UK and I'm not tempted in the slightest as there's been 2 many occasions of releasing 2 boxes at once and 1 being pretty good the other crappy. A fair few friends have cancelled their subscriptions due to this so be careful =) xo

In Canada, the Glossybox has given out at least two full-sized items. This past April, we got three and then some travel-sized items. We also pay less for our Glossybox, it's $15 instead of the US $21. I've been very pleased with Glossybox and a lot of other bloggers have been as well, but there is some stiff competition in the US so I'm hoping that if you guys have to pay more for yours, that you would get better product in your boxes.

I've recently just heard about them and watched a few utube vids and I must say im really impressed. But I dont think i will sign up for it though, the thought of having money taken out of my account at random times every month just doesnt set to well with me. Also there will be good boxes, extremely good boxes and there will be bad boxes and extremely bad boxes. If im paying 21 a month I want them to be all good boxes and not get junk i probably cant use, so for me thats the down side of these surpise boxes.

For real, this company sounds like it's borderline fraudulent. The discontinued Cargo item is your first tip-off... so Glossybox just scoops up old products that have been sitting around in a warehouse for months (years?) and throw them into the box? Sketchy sketchy. Plus the general consensus on other blogs is the first box is good, tricking you into subscribing, then the quality dwindles (drugstore brands, colors that no one else would buy). Beauty box type programs aren't my thing in general, but this company seems especially egregious.

We already have the glossybox in Germany and i really didn't like it. First i paid about 10 Euro ( 13 Dollar ) for 5 items...now it's 15 Euros ( 18 Dollar )!!!! I thought it would be cool to get some luxury products and high end cosmetic...but what i got was drugstore stuff or really cheap smaples. I subscribed for 5 months but i'm done with it now....i'll better safe my money for something i really need and want than spending it for this useless stuff.

Well, you got a blogger box with full sizes. Normal subscribers will only get 1 full size prduct and the rest are samples. For 20 Bucks! Beware of Glossybox and its promises. Over here in Germany it started out the same way, with an amazing first box and lots of people subscribed and now the boxes are plain rip-offs: we get products worth 1 euro or itsy bitsy tiny samples ( 1ml perfumes ?!) My advice is to steer clear from them, you’ll only end up bitterly disappointed. By the way the April Box came in May because of some short notice superproduct.But it was on the card, so it couldnt be that short notice or ? Rumors says they have problems to get enough stuff for the box. But sure you ll have to pay 4 weeks in advance. Best stuff is for bloggers – a lot of full sizes and good colours and real high end products – all other boxes are never that good. Sometimes discontinued Make up Lines, old last season crap. Drugstore Samples you can buy yourself or 1ml perfumes youll get free in stores if you’ll ask for. Now they changed the price from 10 Euros to 15, to hold on to their good quality standards (err yes, which good quality ?)The other box we have in Germany is the Douglas Box (Sephora like). Youll ge one full size (worth minimum 10 Euros) and 4 real luxury travel sizes for 10 Euros. And you’ll be able to choose the travel producst if youd like from next month on. If not you’ll get a surprise box. Thumb up. If you are interested what it is about the Glossybox: It is owned by the Samwer Brothers who make millions in cloning Internet Ideas and selling them to the original like ebay. So i think they only come to the U.S. to find finally an international buyer. http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2012/04/features/inside-the-clone-factory?page=all

I'm a Birchbox subscriber, and I've been happy with the quality of the boxes so far -- I've gotten some cool stuff like Smashbox makeup primer, Fresh lip balm, Origins face wash, some kind of fancy white tea, a Zoya nail polish shade I wanted to buy anyway. I don't have to buy things like primer & hair serum as often because I get samples of them so often.

I only occasionally get full-sized items (ex. a silk "microdermabrasion" face mitt). I don't like all of the products, and I wish they would personalize the samples for my skin type/color. But for $10 a month it's a great deal.

I subscribe to Birchbox, and I've been happy with it so far. I've gotten some great stuff, like Smashbox makeup primer, Fresh lip balm, Origins face wash, some kind of fancy white tea, a Zoya nail polish color I wanted to buy anyway. I don't have to buy things like primer and hair serum as often because they send them so often.

I only occasionally get full-size items (ex. a silk "microdermabrasion" face mitt). I don't like all the products, and I wish they would customize the samples to my skin type/color, but for $10 a month it's a great deal.

I'm a Birchbox subscriber, and I've been happy with the quality of the boxes so far -- I've gotten some cool stuff like Smashbox makeup primer, Fresh lip balm, Origins face wash, some kind of fancy white tea, a Zoya nail polish shade I wanted to buy anyway. I don't have to buy things like primer & hair serum as often because I get samples of them so often.

I only occasionally get full-sized items (ex. a silk "microdermabrasion" face mitt). I don't like all of the products, and I wish they would personalize the samples for my skin type/color. But for $10 a month it's a great deal.